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Spekwin32
news

June 15, 2016:
new minor update of Spekwin32 release: Version v1.72.2
This one contains again some bugfixes related to JASCO files and now
also Reflectance type and RamanShift type are recognized. Additionally,
two new file types were introduced: THERMO Nicolet OMNIC *.spa files
and *.wl/ *.dat files from ColVisTec inline spectrometers. One new function:
"Normalization by area"
This is the real final update to Spekwin32 as you know it, because I
just started to work on the all-new Spekwin32 successor.

April 23, 2016:
"universal software for DIY webcam spectrometers"
Today (Hackaday, April
23), I've invested the bigger part of the day into a quick hack, to
demonstrate the potential use of my optical spectroscopy software SPEKWIN32
together with webcam-based DIY spectrometers. It is not perfect, but
it works:-) All documentation + prototype software download is on the
Hackaday
project website
What it does (after four updates):

Connect
to any webcam, that is recognized by Windows system

show
a webcam live view

show
a live horizontal cross section as a spectrum within a Spekwin32 plot
window

identify
each measured spectrum with live time stamp

for emission
spectra: save a dark spectrum + automated live subtraction of dark

for transmittance/absorbance:
save a reference spectrum + automated live calculation of absorbance/
transmitttance

use automated
peak labeling during live view

optionally
flip the spectrum, to adjust to the original image orientation

clipping
warning for blue, green red channel

visually
define the spectrum ROI, that is used for cross-section calculation

assign
the spectrum's linear wavelength range

access
webcam settings via Windows webcam interface. Depending on webcam
type: also control exposure time, white balance & the like

March 20, 2016:
release of minor update & announcement
Today, a minor update was released (v1.72.1). It contains some bugfixes
related to reading JASCO *.jws files. These binary files come from a
bunch of JASCO spectrometer and software versions, and can be quite
diverse in internal structure. Now, more of them are recognized in a
more reliable way, but quite sure this is not the final stage for JASCO
files... Additionally, Spekwin32 is now fully compatible with a LUA
setting (LUA = limited user account), and all the setting from the options
dialog are now saved individually for each users.
This will be the last update for Spekwin32, as it is known. My next
step will be developing a modernized successor to Spekwin32, as described
here: http://www.effemm2.de/nextgen/index_en.html

February 2016:
job search is overThings
have a changed a bit since last autumn. First, the final date for my
current employment at Tecan was postponed 4 months to end of May 2016.
Second, I won't search any longer for a job. This additional four months
is perhaps all I needed to finally decide for self employment. Yes,
I was job hunting, I met three times with two companies, I got two offers.
Both would have put inacceptable restraints on my "work life balance".
Both beared the risk of once more working my ass up for years, just
to realize one day I was working in vain. Life beyond 40 feels too limited
to follow this path any further. Now I am planning to go full steam
with Spectroscopy Ninja from Juin 2016. Most probably, work hours will
get longer than before. However, the work hours are invested into my
own work, and it's me who decides which work is worth while. Bringing
together work hours and familiy hours will be much easier, and I don't
have to spend my spare time on it any more. There is no need any more
to commute to a working place, where I had to sit around with people
I didn't choose to have around me. Not that I had bad colleagues, but
still it is a sort of coercion I will not miss. Most probably, the degree
of uncertainty will rise considerably. However, it is in my own responsibility
to handle the uncertainty and get over it. The assumed higher certainty
of being an employee is in fact an illusion and of transient nature.
An employees professional future is always at the mercy of some upper
management "strategic" decisions and often enough, these decisions
are independent from his personal performance. Now, I will shape my
future on my own. If I fail, then I fail due to myself screwing it up.
No more blaming someone else. No more helplessly standing by and see
good beginnings being botched up through other's ignorance. Sounds like
a bright future to me!

Oct 30, 2015: job
search I
would like to announce that I am on again with searching for a new position.
Now that we've successfully developed the next generation multi-mode
microplate reader platform, my current employer is drastically cutting
back next year's R&D budget. From February 2016, I am open for any
position, appointment or fixed-term contract in the field of bioanalytical
device development, spectrometer-based system development or scientific/
spectroscopy software development. I have 10+ years experience in product
development in an industrial setting. Don't hesitate to contact
me. For more details about me please view my LinkedIn
profile or the more detailed CV.

Oct 12, 2015: new
release After
a three years' wait, the current release of version 1.72 brings a long
list of new and revised functionality. I consider it as a big step forward,
please get an overview from here.
Another change: from this version on, Spekwin32 will no longer be unlimited!
The downloadable version is still fully functional, but there is a built-in
flexible time limit, depending on your use intensity. Non-commercial
use is still free, no change to this, you just have to ask for a free
license. Payment processing has changed from J-M-S to
MyCommerce, a world-wide renowned provider of this service.

April 2015: removed
Sitemeter counter from all pagesNearly
since the beginnings of the Spekwin32 website in 2003, a free visitor
counter from Sitemeter was used to display the total count of visitors.
Now I've learned, that Sitemeter is owned by Viant
and the counter is used for tracking and installing unwanted cookies.
So, after 131,078 visitors counted since 08/2003, the Sitemeter counter
is turned off. It won't annoy or track you any more!!

June 2014: bought
a new domain: www.spectroscopy.ninjaJust
recently, the new .ninja top level domains were coming out. I couldn't
resist and bought me the spectroscopy.ninja domain:-)
The Spekwin32 site can now be also be reached under the URL above. It
sounds really cool, doesn't it? Now I am your Spectroscopy Ninja:
fast, efficient, already there when needed, with a small footprint and
leaving without a trace.

Jan 29, 2014: LinkedIn
discussion group created: Optical
Spectroscopy SoftwareAs
a replacement for the current user forum,
a new LinkedIn discussion grou was created. The goal is to connect optical
spectroscopy software users in general and Spekwin32 users especially.
What
I hope to find as topics: discussions all around optical spectroscopy
software, spectral data analysis and spectral data formats. Of
course, all your inquiries about Spekwin32 related issues are especially
welcome, might it be questions, feature requests, complaints or success
stories. It
will also be used by myself to occasionally announce changes, updates
and other news regarding Spekwin32.

Nov 07, 2012: paying
for Spekwin32 (updated customer list from May 2016)Yes,
paying for it. Despite the fact that everyone is able to download a
fully functional (since 10/2015: time-limited version) the terms of
use require commercial users to purchase a licence for legal permanent
use.
See a list of companies that paid
for it.

Juin 07, 2010:
another mission accomplishedFrom
this day on, I will work as systems engineer in the R&D department
of Tecan Austria GmbH
at Grödig near Salzburg/Austria. I'm proud to join this company
and I'm looking forward to contribute my part to the further development
of world-class microplate readers, slide scanners and other devices
for biomedical analysis. This means also leaving Jena/Germany, the town
of Ernst Abbe, Carl Zeiss and Otto Schott, the pacemakers of modern
optical technology. I will miss this lovely, child-friendly town full
of highly educated people, but nonetheless I am sure me and my family
will enjoy our new living-place at Berchtesgaden inmidst the Alps.

January 22, 2010:
new release, new terms of useAfter
many years of Spekwin32 being totally free for everyone, I decided to
change the terms of use.
The software stays free for non-commercial, private, academic and educational
use. However, commercial use requires one-time purchase of a valid licence.
Everyone will be able to download the full version of Spekwin32, there
are no function or time limits and no nag screens. I want you to use
Spekwin32, therefore I don't waste any time and energy with preventing
or limiting the use of this software. Commercial users utilizing Spekwin32
permanently are trusted to stay legal and purchase
their licence.
There are also new features: there is a "real" installation
file finally, you will find new and overworked menu items in the
Help menu and there is more general
support of csv files. The website
somewhat expanded, with new screenshots
and extensive contact information
and you are invited to join and contribute to the discussion
forum.

July 30, 2009:
new release The
current release of version 1.71.1 fulfils a long-held wish of a couple
of users: reading of all available flavours of PERKIN ELMER spectral
sp files. Until now, Spekwin32 could only cope with fully ASCII sp files,
now it also works with fully binary and mixed ASCII/binary types. Please
try it out, I didn't have too much test files! Oh, and I'm still on
with searching for a new position, see below...

May 23, 2009 job
search I
would like to announce that I am searching for a new position (preferably
outside of Germany, but inside Europe).
So if you have or know about a well-paid, interesting and demanding
R&D position for a person with expert knowledge in in optical
spectroscopy, fluorescence, fluorescent dyes and labels, scientific
software development, microarrays, microfluidics, PCR, immunoassays,
biomedical device and assay development together with 4 years experience
in product development in an industrial setting: don't hesitate to contact
me. For more details about me please view my XING
profile or the more detailed CV.

May 19, 2009: new
release Today's
release of version 1.71.0 ist the first release since almost a year.
Now that my doctorate is really finished, releases might become more
frequent again.
Upon user request, I implemented the ability to read a special flavour
of THERMO Galactic's spc file format: multifiles. These files contain
a multitude of subspectra in one single file. By the way: there is a
good chance for your file format to be implemented, if it's not too
exotic and of some general usability.

April 22, 2009:
mission accomplishedAfter
publishing my doctoral thesis online,
struggling through a lot of forms and questionnaires and having printed
some hard copies for the university library, I finally received my "Promotionsurkunde"
the official document stating my successfully reached doctoral degree
(only a few days after the birth of our third child, a daughter). Now,
I am officially allowed to call myself "Dr. Friedrich Menges"
:-)) This quest has come to a good end...

February 27, 2009:
thesis defenceIt's
now almost four years since I left university to earn a living for me
and my familiy. Today was a great day as my scientific career culminated
in today's final thesis defence of my dissertation. Everything went
fine, and I will be called a "Doktor" soon.